1895 – Selden Granted the 'Road-Engine' Patent
Letters Patent No. 549,160 landed in the U.S. Patent Office on November 5, 1895, when George B. Selden was granted a patent for a "road engine" — an early, ambitiously detailed concept for an automobile powered by a liquid‑hydrocarbon engine. The patent itself includes drawings and a written specification describing a carriage-like vehicle driven by a compressed‑charge engine and an associated transmission arrangement; Selden's filing became one of the most talked-about patents in the young automotive era. While the document is often cited in later disputes over automobile manufacture and licensing, the patent’s November 5, 1895 grant date is the concrete milestone that put Selden’s claim to an internal-combustion road vehicle on the public record.
1918 – Henry Ford Defeated in Michigan Senate Race
On November 5, 1918, the voters of Michigan chose Republican Truman H. Newberry over Democratic challenger Henry Ford in the U.S. Senate general election. The contest drew nationwide attention because Henry Ford was already a household name as the leader of the Ford Motor Company and his candidacy brought industrial prominence into the political arena. Ford later petitioned the Senate in January 1919 to contest the result and seek a recount, but the recorded outcome from the November 5 balloting stood as the decisive event of that election day. The episode illustrates how business magnates of the era could transform public stature into political bids, and how contested results could extend well beyond election night.
1959 – Paul V. Galvin, Motorola Founder, Dies
Paul Vincent Galvin, who co-founded the firm that became Motorola in 1928, died on November 5, 1959, closing the chapter on a four-decade run at his company’s helm. Galvin steered the business from early radio and automotive electrical accessories into a broad electronics firm; contemporary trade obituaries and Motorola’s own records note his passing and the succession by his son, Robert (Bob) Galvin. For motorists of the mid‑20th century, the company’s name was synonymous with car radios and electrical components that helped define in-car entertainment and communication, and Paul Galvin’s death marked the end of the founding-era leadership that built that reputation.
2004 – Subaru Previews the B9X Crossover Prototype
At the South Florida International Auto Show on November 5, 2004, Subaru of America pulled the sheet off the B9X, a preview crossover that would later be marketed as the Subaru B9 Tribeca. The prototype showcased a taller, more sculpted body than Subaru’s boxy wagons, with styling cues intended to bridge passenger-car comfort and SUV versatility; Subaru press materials and industry coverage from that day described the vehicle’s role as the company’s first major foray into the North American crossover market. The B9X announcement signaled Subaru’s strategic shift toward higher‑profile, design-focused crossovers at a moment when such models were rapidly gaining buyer interest.
2015 – George Barris, Custom Car Builder, Dies
George Barris died at his Encino home on November 5, 2015, leaving behind a portfolio of custom cars that helped define Hollywood’s visual vocabulary — most famously, the 1960s Batmobile. Barris turned show cars and television commissions into national spectacles: he modified stock vehicles into high‑concept machines fitted with gadgets, dramatic paint schemes, and exaggerated fins that read perfectly on camera. His workshop became the go-to for studios needing a memorable ride, and the Batmobile in particular became an icon of both automotive customization and pop culture. Barris’s death closed out the career of a builder who blurred the line between car design and cinematic character.
